Chrome owner defends shipping to England

Perry Martin, half of the "Dumbass Partners" group that owns 2014 Kentucky Derby winner and Horse of the Year California Chrome, released a statement Wednesday reacting to the decision to ship his colt to England.

Connections announced the decision to make a run at Royal Ascot's Prince of Wales's Stakes after California Chrome finished 2nd in the Dubai World Cup. He also ran runner-up to Shared Belief in the San Antonio Invitational at Santa Anita Park before heading overseas.

On Wednesday, the premier British Championship Series listed California Chrome as one of 36 entries for the Al Shaqab Lockinge at Newbury. The May 16 test on turf could serve as a prep for Royal Ascot the following month.

Martin's full statement is as follows:

Managing the racing career of a stallion prospect is much different than managing a gelding or a mare. The considerations for selecting races are: the notoriety, surface, distance, and sphere of influence. Many in America overlook that last one.

Breeding of horses is an international business with many regional niches. Stallion value can be increased by demonstrating superior performance at different distances and over different surfaces at elite venues. Royal Ascot is such an elite venue and we are honored to be invited. The opportunity is not without risk -- however, I believe the risk to be minimal.

Chrome's bloodlines descend from A.P. Indy. This line is known for superior dirt performance. However it is looked down on by the regions of the world dominated by turf racing. Chrome's stallion value is currently very low in these regions and we really do not have to worry about it going lower with a loss at Royal Ascot. A win would help to demonstrate that the outcrosses in Chrome's breeding have been beneficial to turf performance. Yes, U.S. turf is different from the turf at Ascot -- exactly why it is important for us to go.

Main Sequence demonstrated very clearly that poor performance in Europe does not affect perception much in the U.S. He received two Eclipse awards after four U.S. turf wins. It seems to me the downside is limited to the loss of a quarter of the 2015 season, if unsuccessful.

I do not believe that this trip is a mistake, however I freely admit I have made one mistake in the management of Chrome. I wanted to travel to Dubai early and prep in one of the Challenge races there. This is a proven formula that allows the horse more time to recover from the long trip and gives him the benefit of a race over the surface.

Both [trainer] Art [Sherman] and [co-owner] Steve [Coburn] wanted to prep in the San Antonio against Shared Belief. The argument was that the matchup was good for racing. I did not want to disappoint them, so abstained. This was an emotional decision and it was wrong. This time we will do what gives Chrome the best chance to win. This time I've got Chrome's back. Hopefully after a bit of time has passed I'll know team Chrome has my back.